The trial of the US R&B singer R. Kelly has begun at a court in Brooklyn, New York.
The star is accused of racketeering, sexual abuse and bribery; charges which he has repeatedly denied.
Some of the allegations made against the singer – whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly – date back more than 20 years.
The first witness, Jerhonda Johnson Pace, told the jury R. Kelly knew she was underage in 2009 when they had intercourse in Chicago, where the age of consent is 17.
Now 28, she testified that she had initially told Mr Kelly she was 19, but had revealed her real age on the day they had sex for the first time.
“I felt uncomfortable. I felt like it wasn’t right, that I should tell him my age.
“He asked me, ‘What is that supposed to mean?’ and told me to tell everyone I was 19 – and to act 21,” said Ms Pace, who admits she had once been a fan of the singer.
Mr Kelly faces charges that he was the ringleader of a two-decade-long scheme where he recruited women and underage girls for sex.
In her opening argument, Mr Kelly’s lawyer Nicole Blank Becker claimed the alleged victims are aggrieved groupies, who originally consented to sex before later becoming “spiteful”.
“He didn’t recruit them. They were fans. They came to Mr Kelly,” she told the court, adding that some of the relationships were “beautiful” and “long-term”.
Ms Becker portrayed her client as a victim of women, saying some enjoyed the “notoriety of being able to tell their friends that they were with a superstar”.
Prosecutors meanwhile described Mr Kelly as “a man who used lies, manipulation, threats and physical abuse to dominate his victims and to avoid accountability for years”.
Ms Melendez alleged the singer used bodyguards, drivers, lawyers and accountants to cover up his alleged crimes.
She also said he bribed victims by photographing and filming them having sex and then threatening to release the tapes.
Even if he is acquitted, Mr Kelly still faces sex-related charges in Illinois and Minnesota, where he has also pleaded not guilty.
Mr Kelly has been in jail for the last two years.
He was moved in June to Brooklyn from Chicago for the trial.
Source: www.bbcnews.com
Whats up are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new
to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you require any html coding expertise to make your own blog?
Any help would be really appreciated!
Here is my blog – online casino philippines gcash
If some one wants to be updated with most recent technologies afterward
he must be go to see this web page and be up to date all the time.
Here is my site … นมผึ้ง
What a information of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable experience regarding unpredicted emotions.
Feel free to surf to my web-site … สมัครรับเครดิตฟรี ทันที
Hello! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to
all your posts! Keep up the superb work!
Here is my web blog; ไฟทินี่
Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention that I have truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
In any case I’ll be subscribing on your feed and I hope you write once more soon!
What i don’t realize is if truth be told how you’re not actually a lot more well-appreciated than you might be right now.
You’re so intelligent. You realize thus significantly on the subject of this matter, produced me for my part consider it from a lot of varied angles.
Its like women and men are not involved except it’s one thing to do with Woman gaga!
Your own stuffs outstanding. At all times deal with it up!
My blog post: เครดิตฟรี แค่สมัครล่าสุด
If you want to grow your knowledge simply keep visiting this web page
and be updated with the most up-to-date information posted here.
If some one needs to be updated with latest technologies afterward he must be pay a visit this website and be up to
date every day.
I do trust all of the concepts you’ve offered on your post.
They are really convincing and can definitely work. Nonetheless, the
posts are too short for newbies. May just you please
extend them a bit from next time? Thank you for the post.
My web site; รับรูดบัตรเครดิต
I do not even know the way I finished up here, but I assumed
this post was great. I don’t recognise who you might be however
definitely you are going to a famous blogger should you aren’t already.
Cheers!
Here is my page: ขายเสื้อยืด
This is a very good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere.
Simple but very accurate info… Appreciate your sharing this one.
A must read article!
Have a look at my blog: ออกแบบโบรชัวร์
Nice post. I was checking continuously this weblog and I’m impressed!
Very useful info specifically the last part 🙂 I take care
of such information much. I was seeking this certain information for a very lengthy time.
Thanks and good luck.
Take a look at my webpage: สล็อต
you are truly a good webmaster. The site loading pace
is incredible. It sort of feels that you are
doing any distinctive trick. Moreover, The contents are masterpiece.
you’ve performed a magnificent process on this topic!
Here is my web page: pgslot เว็บตรงไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์
Excellent way of explaining, and pleasant piece of writing to take data about my presentation subject matter, which i am
going to convey in institution of higher education.
Also visit my page :: best online casino in india
For newest information you have to pay a visit world-wide-web and on world-wide-web I found this web page as a most
excellent web site for newest updates.
I am truly glad to glance at this web site posts which
carries tons of valuable information, thanks for providing these
information.
Good response in return of this question with solid arguments and describing everything concerning that.
Hey there, You have done an incredible job. I’ll certainly digg it and personally recommend
to my friends. I am confident they’ll be benefited from
this website.
Feel free to visit my homepage เซรั่ม
Hi would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m going to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs
and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S Sorry for being off-topic but I had to ask!
Also visit my web page :: สล็อตเว็บตรงไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์ เครดิตฟรี
Hi there just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your article seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer.
I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with web browser
compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you
know. The style and design look great though! Hope you get the problem resolved soon. Cheers
Feel free to visit my homepage: พนันบอลออนไลน์ 88
My spouse and I absolutely love your blog and find
nearly all of your post’s to be what precisely I’m looking for.
Would you offer guest writers to write content in your case?
I wouldn’t mind publishing a post or elaborating
on a number of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome web log!
Here is my web blog – สล็อตเว็บตรงแตกง่าย
I visited many web pages except the audio quality for
audio songs present at this site is genuinely fabulous.
Feel free to surf to my homepage; เกมสล็อตค่าย pg เว็บตรง
I go to see daily some blogs and blogs to read articles
or reviews, except this web site presents feature based
posts.
Feel free to surf to my page: เครดิตฟรี ไม่มีเงื่อนไข